Ratings: Young Sheldon episode 2, SWAT premiere solid; Will & Grace debate
As we stated on Wednesday we had zero expectation that the Big Bang Theory spin-off show was going to deliver numbers anywhere close to what it managed to pull in for the recent premiere episode. It would be completely unreasonable for us here at CarterMatt to set the bar that high when you think about the substantial hiatus between the first and second episode — which, for the record, remains dubious at best. Young Sheldon episode 2 did generate a 2.4 rating, down significantly from the premiere but only down slightly from the 2.7 The Big Bang Theory posted. CBS is probably happy with that. They’re also probably happy that this in turn boosted the premieres of Mom and Life in Pieces to a 1.8 and a 1.5 rating, respectively. These ratings were far and away better than what we saw from either show for the premiere last year.
This all carried over to the SWAT premiere. The Shemar Moore series started off with a decent 1.3 rating. If it remains around 80% or more of that number the rest of the season it’ll probably be set up well for a season 2 renewal; if it drops more, odds are it won’t make it there. This was enough for CBS to win the 10:00 p.m. Eastern time slot by a fairly wide margin and that is something they can celebrate.
Now, let’s get into a more controversial subject.
Is the Will & Grace success story overstated?
While there’s zero doubt that reviving the comedy has brought some rave reviews to NBC and also some good ratings, last night’s episode generated a 1.5 that, while good, isn’t blowing anyone’s socks off. What’s probably more problematic is that NBC put too much stock into Great News just because of the talent onscreen and behind-the-scenes. Last night’s episode posted only a 0.7 rating, which seems to be making the show primed for a cancellation after the season. These two shows are not establishing any retention, which is why Chicago Fire only generated a 1.0 rating for its fall finale.
We’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating: NBC should have kept Chicago Fire on Tuesdays to capitalize off of This Is Us. Instead, they put Law & Order True Crime there even though it is a limited series with no real plans of being around to keep some of the ratings goodwill it’s been receiving as of late.
What do you think about the Young Sheldon episode 2 ratings? Be sure to share in the comments section below!
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